


There'll Be a Day

by RuinNine



Series: Cinema Verse [4]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Half-AU, M/M, Sequel, Surprises, Wedding Rings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-24
Updated: 2014-07-24
Packaged: 2018-02-10 06:29:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2014602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RuinNine/pseuds/RuinNine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.</p><p>-</p><p>C.S. Lewis</p>
            </blockquote>





	There'll Be a Day

**Author's Note:**

> A big THANK YOU and a tight hug and a few kisses to lumaste for betaing this for me. Thank you for your always on the spot, helpful and quick as lightning advice, darling! <3
> 
> I'm sorry (a tiny bit) for spamming the comm. It just won't stop. ;D
> 
> Still no native speaker.

— † —

 

 

“No, absolutely not!“

 

“But those tickets are gifts from the club and-“

 

“Sergio. It's not about that and you know it!“

 

“You can wear your Atlético jersey.“

 

“...Okay. Fine.“

 

Sergio grinned in triumph and pushed himself up onto his elbows. “You know, if it weren't for those red stripes-” He slipped a hand beneath Fernando's shirt to caress his deliciously prominent stomach muscles. “-it would actually look good on you.”

 

“Well, if it's morning sex you're after, that's the wrong way to go about it.” However, despite his words and his snappish tone, Fernando's eyes fell half-closed and he sighed as Sergio hit a particularly sensitive spot. “But then again, I know someone who can turn me on with just the right caresses.”

 

“Hmm, really now?” Sergio grinned and leaned forward until he all but covered Fernando with his body. “And I know someone who can turn _me_ on by just lying there, with tousled hair and sleepy eyes, wearing an old, washed out shirt of some Metal band I've never heard of.”

 

“And I know someone-” Fernando paused to slip a hand past the waistband of Sergio's boxers. “-who _gets_ turned on just by the feeling of my wedding ring on his-”

 

“Fer?” A pause, filled with footsteps (more like stomps) on the stairs. “Is Dad already awake?”

 

Fernando pulled his hand back as if he'd been burnt while Sergio quickly flopped over onto his stomach. “One day, I'm gonna strangle that kid,” he groaned into the pillow.

 

Fernando barely had the time to suppress his laughter before the door to the bedroom inched open. “Fer? Dad?”

 

“Shh, Lina.” Fernando put a finger against his lips (if only to hide his amused grin). “He's still sleeping.”

 

“Oh.” She covered her mouth with her hands. “I'm sorry,” she stage-whispered, like only kids can. “Is he alright?”

 

“Yeah. Just got home late from the airport.”

 

Adelina nodded with a serious expression, already used to the cramped schedules of her father. “One of the kids in my class went to Munich once. He said it's really far away, so I made breakfast for him, because I thought he'd be tired. And also for the goals. They were so beautiful.”

 

Fernando smiled at the tone of intense pride in Adelina's voice. “I'll wake him and he'll be down in a minute. Okay, sweetheart?”

 

She beamed, thinking her surprise salvaged. “Okay.”

 

As soon as her footsteps had faded on the stairs, Sergio groaned again. “Damn. Now I can't even hate her.”

 

 

— † —

 

 

“I'm sure she's already been awake for an hour, wondering why no one's coming.”

 

Sergio chuckled softly. “Yeah, I bet she'll be up in a minute, because she can't take it any-”

 

He stopped when Fernando suddenly made a face at him, because indeed, there were footsteps on the stairs. They exchanged wide grins and nods and tiptoed over to hide behind the door. As predicted, the footsteps stopped in front of their bedroom, but for an agonizing minute, nothing happened as Adelina probably listened for any signs that showed they were already awake. Fernando could feel Sergio virtually vibrating with excitement right next to him, and his grin softened into a smile. Once the initial barriers had been overcome, Sergio had developed a marvellous intuition when it came to his daughter and with the rapid pace the bond between them was strengthening, it was impossible to tell this was indeed the first time they would be celebrating Adelina's-

 

“Happy birthday!”

 

Sergio's exclamation and Adelina's delighted squeal tore Fernando out of his musings and he watched as the little girl pushed the door further open and jumped into the waiting arms of her father who spun her around with a whoop of his own.

 

“Did you think we'd forget your first birthday with us?”

 

“Nooo!” Adelina laughed loudly, but her red cheeks betrayed her. She pulled one arm away from Sergio's neck and reached out for Fernando. “Fer!”

 

He balanced the cake on one hand and hugged her close with the other. “Happy birthday, sweetie!”

 

“Thank you!” She pressed a sloppy kiss to his cheek before pulling back to admire the cake. “Did you do it?”

 

“The both of us were involved. It was a gruesome battle, but we won.”

 

“Can I try it?”

 

He laughed at the wonder in her voice. “Not yet. We have to save it for your party.”

 

For a split-second, she looked like she was going to protest, but then Sergio cut in, unable to hide his excitement any longer. “I've got something better for you.” He pulled a brightly coloured envelope from his back pocket. “One gift right now, the others later after school. Deal?”

 

Her nose wrinkled as she thought about it, but in the end, her curiosity won out. “Deal.”

 

“There you go. Happy birthday!”

 

Adelina's fingers shook as she pulled at the paper, and Fernando couldn't help but wonder when her birthday had been celebrated last with everything it should involve, like a cake, a heap of gifts and a party. He wouldn't be surprised if the answer was never. When she finally pulled a ticket from the remains of the envelope, her face scrunching up in confusion, he couldn't suppress a chuckle as he waited for understanding to set in.

 

“What is it?”

 

Sergio was glowing with excitement as he adjusted his grip on her. “Well, what does it say?”

 

“Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, 24th of May 2014, Champions League-” She stopped abruptly and looked up at them with wide eyes. “Champions League! I'm going to see the final?!” At Sergio's nod, she let loose another squeal and pulled them both back in for another hug until a sudden thought occurred to her. “Is Anna going too?”

 

Sergio laughed. “Yes, I have tickets for her and the boys. It's a secret, so don't tell them yet. But they won't take you, not this time.”

 

Even though Fernando had tried to convince her of the quality and importance of his own club, Adelina had insisted on going to see Real Madrid play, too. And since neither Fernando nor José were willing to take her, Anna and her boys had been grateful inhabitants of Sergio's box for one of the home matches. Unfortunately, their little girl had taken to the Blancos immediately, and Fernando had the feeling that it all had to do with the fact that her father was playing there. There was no way she liked that club for any other reason.

 

Sergio grinned as if he knew what he was thinking and leant forward to whisper in Adelina's ear. “Your other father will take you.”

 

“Really?!”

 

Despite himself, Fernando found he was grateful for Sergio's insistence as he was faced with Adelina's expression of total happiness. “Really.”

 

“But won't we sit with other Real fans?”

 

“Yeah...” He sighed. “It's the family stand. They will just have to get used to my Atlético shirt.”

 

The grin on Sergio's face turned unbearably smug. “Sure you don't want to wear one of my jerseys and show the world who you belong to?”

 

“Don't push it, Mister.”

 

 

— † —

 

 

“Today, I almost told a boy in my class about you, Fer.”

 

Fernando almost let go of his cutlery, but he tried not to show his distress as he exchanged a worried glance with Sergio over the kitchen table. He really didn't like it that Adelina was forced to lie, but he also knew it was necessary. It was bad enough the pack had finally gotten her picture two months ago. “What happened?”

 

Adelina looked down at her plate as she fidgeted around with her fork. The expression of guilt on her face made his stomach churn. It just wasn't right. “He heard me telling Mrs. Vargas about my birthday party and he said you tried to buy my favour with it, because you hadn't been there all my life.” Fernando could see the storm brewing over Sergio's brow and subtly shook his head to tell him to keep it under wrap. “So I almost said that he's just jealous that I have two amazing fathers instead of just one.”

 

Fernando couldn't help but smile despite the situation. Sweet Lina. “And what did you say instead?”

 

Adelina rubbed her nose in embarrassment. “That he's just stupid.”

 

“What's his name?”

 

Oh oh. “Sergio-”

 

Adelina, however, was faster. “It's okay, Dad. He couldn't know.”

 

Sergio put down his cutlery and crossed his arms. “That doesn't mean he can talk to you like that.”

 

She just shook her head. “I don't care. But I'm sorry I almost told your secret, Fer.”

 

“I'm glad you didn't. Thank you, darling.” He had to force the words out of his mouth, and their daughter seemed to pick up on it right away, even though she didn't know why.

 

“I'll be more careful, I promise. Don't be mad at me.”

 

Good Lord. “Oh, sweetie. How could I be mad at you? It's not your fault. If you ever tell anybody though, please let us know. I promise we won't be mad. We'll find a way to deal with it, okay?”

 

She nodded, albeit hesitantly. “You told me Dad will be in trouble at work if I told anyone about you. But I still don't know why. It's not a crime for you to be married, is it?”

 

“God, no.” Sergio opened his arms and Adelina immediately jumped up from her chair and into his lap. “People are just afraid of what they don't know, Lina. That's it.”

 

“But why? It's not fair!”

 

Sergio exchanged another glance with Fernando, and they both sighed. Neither of them had wanted for her to get tangled up in the webs of their secrets, but they didn't make the rules. They also couldn't explain them to a child whose world was still divided only into black and white. Not properly, anyway. To Adelina, their situation didn't make any sense, but she abided by their game because they had asked her to play.

 

“Think about your friend Ruki. She's a very nice and funny girl, and still, there are some kids in your class that won't talk to her just because she has a different skin colour. That isn't fair, either, but sometimes, that's how the world works. But as long as you keep seeing past that, you make it a better place, okay?”

 

She nodded, even though she clearly wasn't satisfied with his answer. “Okay.”

 

Sergio pulled a hand over her hair. “There'll be a day when we won't have to hide anymore. You'll see. There'll be a day.”

 

 

— † —

 

 

When Fernando finally closed the front door behind him the following evening, Sergio's words were still ringing in his head. _There'll be a day._ What Sergio hadn't told Adelina was that she'd see at least ten years come and go before this day actually happened – and that it would be impossible to keep the secret for this amount of time. It was already a miracle that they hadn't been found out yet. But with every passing day, it got harder and harder to fight this battle, and Fernando was tired of it. Still, he knew he had to do it lest he lose his precious little family. And that definitely had top priority for him.

 

He found Sergio and Adelina sitting on the floor in a sea of pictures, and the twin looks of glee on their faces, combined with their conversation suddenly ceasing, made Fernando suspicious right on the spot. “What on Earth are you doing?”

 

They traded a grin. “Arranging the wedding pictures. We want to make an album.”

 

“Aha.” And just like Sergio had developed uncanny intuition concerning his daughter, Fernando immediately knew when the two of them were ganging up on him. “I don't like that smirk. What's it about?”

 

Said smirk on Sergio's face only widened. “Just because we're not fighting doesn't mean we're planning on murdering you in your sleep. Now stop nagging, sit down and help us.”

 

Fernando knew when he'd lost, so he just sighed and tiptoed through the heap until he'd found an unoccupied spot on the carpet. “What am I searching for?”

 

“Hmm...” Adelina sat back to think about it for a moment. “They should be beautiful, or funny. Or special, like this one.”

 

She thrust a picture at him and he laughed when he caught sight of it. It had been later in the evening, when the kids had already been sent to bed, and the boys had decided that a football match in the dimly lit garden was in order. So they had marked the goals with chairs and the corners with empty beer bottles and played three on three football at 1am in the morning. Fernando couldn't remember much more of the game than lots of laughing, shoving and falling over, but they all looked happy in the picture, even his own team of José and Iker that had lost narrowly to Sergio, his brother René and Cris.

 

As he sifted through the pictures, the happiness he had felt on that particular day came back with full force. It had been a simple affair – an argument he had successfully settled in his favour – with only their respective sisters witnessing the wedding at the civil registry office and their family and closest friends waiting for them at their house. No caterer, no band – just their mothers ruling the kitchen and Fernando and Sergio spending hours beforehand arguing about playlists.

 

It had almost felt like a normal wedding, and it had indeed been one of the best days of his entire life, but with his mind already unsettled and tired of the everyday routine of hiding, the feeling of happiness suddenly turned into a bone-deep weariness as he looked at the pretence of an ordinary life that didn't exist.

 

“Nando?”

 

Fernando's eyes snapped up only to find Sergio kneeling right next to him, concern written all over his face, and their daughter gone. “Oh, sorry. Where's Adelina?”

 

“Off to bed.” Sergio raised a hand to caress his cheek. “Are you okay?”

 

Fernando looked down at the pictures. “Yeah. It's nothing.”

 

Sergio's hold on his cheek tightened and he gently pushed his head back up so he could look him in the eye. “No, it doesn't look like nothing to me. What is it?”

 

For a few moments, they fought a silent battle of stares, but eventually, Fernando gave in with a deep sigh. “Sometimes, it's hard to pretend.”

 

Sergio hummed and pulled him into a tight embrace. “I know you don't like it.”

 

Fernando's fingers dug into his lover's shoulder blades as he tightened the hug. “Fuck... I hate it.”

 

“I know. I know.” Sergio suddenly pulled back and cradled his face in his hands. “Even if something came out somehow, I'd never deny that you are my husband and that I love you. You're stuck with me. With us. You know that, right?”

 

Fernando almost replied that no, he didn't know that, as Sergio had never said those words before. There had been no need, as they had never discussed the possibility of a sudden exposure, never allowed themselves to think about what would actually happen if someone found out about them. The surge of warmth and affection he felt at Sergio's words, however, stilled his tongue and he just nodded before leaning forward to kiss his husband.

 

_There'll be a day._

 

 

— † —

 

 

“But I want to come with you!” Adelina sniffed and tightened her arms around her father's neck. “How can you even play without my lucky kiss before the match?”

 

“Why don't you give it to me right now? I'm sure it's powerful enough to last until the final whistle.” There was a moment of silence with Adelina pouting against his neck and Fernando giving him a half-amused, half-helpless smile over her shoulder, but then his daughter pulled back to quickly kiss his cheek. “Wait, that's it? That's not gonna hold, sweetie. I didn't feel anything, you have to try harder.”

 

Despite herself, Adelina had to giggle and then pressed a wet smack to his nose. “There you go, Dad!”

 

“Thank you, darling, that was much better. My whole body is tingling.” They shared a laugh until Sergio moved to hand her over to Fernando, and immediately, the pout was back in place. “Sweetie, Lina, you have to let me go now, or I'm gonna be late. And Carlo doesn't like it when I'm late. Nor does he like to see his players distracted.”

 

He made a face at Fernando who immediately stepped forward and gently pried her arms away from Sergio's neck to pull her over into his arms. “You'll see him after the match, when he's won the Champions League. That's gonna be worth the wait, don't you think?”

 

Adelina nodded, but the pout was still there. “Yeah...”

 

Sergio leant forward to pull his hand over her hair one more time. “Remember what we talked about. Watch him for me till then, alright?”

 

There it was again, that infuriating smirk. Whatever they were cooking, Fernando still didn't like it. “Okay, Dad. Will do.”

 

“That's my girl. Now, no boys in the house till I'm back, okay?”

 

“Dad!”

 

“Just saying.”

 

 

— † —

 

 

He actually did get a stare or two for wearing his beloved Atlético shirt, but Fernando couldn't care less. The tickets didn't say that he wasn't allowed to wear any merchandise from the opposing team, and in the family stand, he didn't have to be afraid of any serious rebukes – verbal or otherwise. Yes, Irina had teased him mercilessly and Junior couldn't stop laughing at him, but the other occupants of their stand just raised their eyebrows and nothing more.

 

What he cared about, however, were the curious stares they got from everyone around. Whether they were family members of other players, sitting in the block right next to theirs or standing in the mixed zone close to the pitch – it felt like every eye and camera in the stadium was trained on them. Not only was Adelina far more exposed in the open row than in a VIP box... he just knew that people were wondering who the hell he was, balancing the daughter of Sergio Ramos on his knee and talking to Irina and Junior right next to him like he knew them.

 

If it weren't for the children's excitement and Irina's calm composure, he would've given in to the urge to flee the minute he had sat down in his seat. But he had agreed to this and now he had to sit through this hell. No way their secret would still be a secret afterwards. He even wore his wedding ring. For a split-second he pondered taking it off, but he knew it was already too late. _Fucking idiot._

 

Adelina seemed to sense his inner turmoil, because she turned away from Junior and fixed him with a stare that was way too serious for a child. “Everything will be fine, Fer. You'll see.” Fernando's mouth fell open, but nothing came out. Like hell he had seen that one coming. “Dad will fix it. So relax and enjoy the match.”

 

Fernando nodded numbly and watched her turn back to her clapping game with Junior. What the hell was going on?!

 

 

— † —

 

 

In the end, he actually found himself enjoying the match once the focus had shifted away from them and to the events on the pitch – well, up until the 93rd minute, that is. He couldn't really be mad at Sergio, though. It was a perfect header and he was sure that the pride he felt for his husband was no crime in Atlético's fan rule books. Besides, in private, he was very much relieved that consoling a devastated Sergio had fallen to the bottom of the to do list to be checked off on another day. Therefore, even though he was bummed that Atlético hadn't won, the joy he felt for Sergio definitely outweighed the disappointment.

 

But when the award ceremony was over and the players were allowed to take their children to the pitch, his mood plummeted from sky-high to rock-bottom, and when Adelina tried to pull him down the stairs to the pitch, he held her back. “Sweetie, you go with Irina and I'll wait for you up here, okay?”

 

She turned to him with an unreadable expression on her face, but whatever it was, it was again dead serious. “Fer, I want you to be there. Please. Dad would love to have you there, too.”

 

Faced with two indisputable points, he finally yielded, but the weird and hollow feeling in his stomach stayed. “Okay.”

 

Sergio was one of the last to wait for his family, and he looked ridiculous with the flag around his hip, the net around his shoulders and the hat on his head. But the excitement and joy he radiated was irresistible and Fernando felt pride and affection seep back into the terror raging in his veins.

 

“Dad! You were fantastic!”

 

Sergio laughed, loud and carefree, as he pulled Adelina over the barrier and hugged her close. Fernando hung back, watching his husband and their daughter as the two exchanged praise, squeals and kisses. And then his eyes met Sergio's and there was excitement and delight in his gaze, but also a steely determination that told Fernando he had just walked right into a trap.

 

“Nando,” Sergio called out to him and waved him closer. “Where are your manners? Won't you congratulate me?”

 

They both grinned at him and he found he didn't have it in him to decline, even though his mistrust ran riot. He couldn't resist one last dig, though. “Don't you think you can push me around just because you just won the Champions League.”

 

“Don't you think you can push me around just because your loser team got their asses kicked.”

 

Fernando rolled his eyes, but he nonetheless skipped down the last few steps and hugged Sergio and Adelina over the barrier. “I'm proud of you, Sese. You were great.”

 

“Listen, Nando.” Sergio tightened his hold on them both. “I'm going to kiss you. I'm sick of hiding you, sick of hiding us. I want to show off my beautiful husband and I wanna do it right now.”

 

Fernando tensed, from shock or excitement, he didn't know, but when he tried to pull back, Sergio wouldn't let him. “Sese-”

 

“If you don't want me to, I won't do it.”

 

“Sese, think this through. You're high on adrenaline and-”

 

“This has got nothing to do with adrenaline. I wanted to do it tonight and Lina approved.”

 

“I did,” Adelina chimed in. “I'm not ashamed of you, Fer.”

 

Fernando moved back to look at her, and this time, Sergio let him go. “Lina, I know that. But the consequences are impossible to predict. What will happen to your career?”

 

“Iker and Cris will back me in the team and my brother will take care of the press. Carlo and Florentino told me ages ago they would support us.” He raised a hand to caress Fernando's jawline. “I'm ready, Fernando. I'm ready if you are.”

 

For a few seconds, they seemed to exist in their own small world, oblivious to the racket going on about them, oblivious to the journalists calling for their attention, oblivious to the photographers taking pictures, oblivious to all the curious stares. And then Fernando nodded.

 

“Alright. I'm game.”

 

They grinned at each other, giddy with excitement and love and a tiny bit of fear, until Sergio leant forward to bridge the final few inches and kissed Fernando gently on the mouth. There was no hurry in the kiss, but no hesitation, either, and when they finally pulled back, they stayed close, with their foreheads touching and Adelina tucked in between them.

 

“Social media are going to implode tonight.”

 

Sergio smiled, but shook his head. “Let's hope they'll stop pairing me off with other players.” He paused, and his voice grew serious again. “Today's the day, and I won't let anyone ruin it.”

 

“Yeah...” Fernando took a deep breath and closed his eyes against the flurry of camera flashes. “Today's the day.”

 

 

— † —

 

 

As always, thank you very much for reading! :)


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